Earlier this week the “Seatruck Progress” arrived in Liverpool on her maiden voyage from FSG Flensburg in Germany. The vessel takes Seatruck’s unaccompanied business plan on the Irish Sea to a whole new level. The 142m long, 24m beam, 4 deck ship dwarfs other ro-ro ships. Capable of up to 25 knots, the new ship will take up to 35 13.5m trailers more than the outgoing “P” class vessels currently operating on the Liverpool to Dublin and Heysham to Warrenpoint routes.

But why would Seatruck put on increased tonnage, in an Irish market that has gone through a period of consolidation and capacity reductions in order that ferry companies can stem big financial losses? The simple answer is economies of scale. Seatruck and FSG have considered every cost in detail to produce one of the most efficient vessels in the world, giving Seatruck the advantage of lower operating costs on one of the most buoyant routes to Ireland. As an example, the hull has not got a single parallel line making it uber efficient at cutting through the water. As can be seen in the photos here, take a look at the classic “coke” bottle shape of the hull.

“Unlike the outgoing “P” class ships the 12 drivers will be in shared cabins, but the size and quality of these cabins means that the drivers will still enjoy the excellent standard they are used to. This is one area where costs were cut. After all Seatruck has got to sweat the asset, and make this pay for the Clipper group.

When DFDS stopped the Birkenhead-Dublin route in February 2011, 145,000 units a year dropped into the market place. P&O reacted earlier this year by putting the “Endeavor” on as a 3rd “shoulder” rated service to grab some of the higher paying overnight driving accompanied traffic destined for Dublin. However, the service offering in Holyhead between Irish Ferries and Stena Line is now better than ever, with a sailing  nearly every 4-5 hours, making is difficult to tempt driver accompanied business to Liverpool.

At a time when hauliers are under enormous pressure with increasing ferry prices (see the Ferry companies put the rate squeeze on for 2012 blog – Dec 08th 2012), now that the “Seatruck Progress” has joined the party, with her sister “Seatruck Power” due within the next 12 weeks, Seatruck will have an even better chance at tempting hauliers & distributors to convert to a more cost effective unaccompanied service into Dublin.

For further news and ferry information – please go to www.freightlink.co.uk

Check out Seatruck Ferries “Seatruck Progress” slide show

The introduction of the ‘Cap Finistere’, which will operate between Portsmouth and Santander, will give an additional two roundtrips per week.

This will give a total of five crossings per week in each direction with the following schedule; arrivals are the following day at local time:

From the UK
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Tuesday – Depart Portsmouth 11.15 arriving 12.15
Wednesday – Depart Portsmouth 11.00 arriving 12.00
Friday – Depart Portsmouth 11.15 arriving 12.15
Saturday – Depart Poole 08.00 arriving 12.15
Sunday – Depart Plymouth 16.30 arriving 13.30

From Santander
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Monday – Depart 16.30 arriving Portsmouth 17.00
Wednesday – Depart 15.15 arriving Portsmouth at 14.15
Thursday – Depart 15.00 arriving Plymouth at 09.30
Saturday – Depart 15.15 arriving Portsmouth at 14.15
Sunday – depart 15.15 arriving Poole at 17.00

The year round freight capacity of 70+ units on the “Cap Finistere”, 120+ on the “Cotentin” and 30 to 40 on the “Pont Aven” together with this level of frequency and a transit time of 24 to 26 hours, is something that the industry has needed for years.

In the past service levels service into Spain have not always supported the haulier.

Acciona started a service that lasted about 6 months. During that time, the rates went from a special introductory offer for a month or two, and then rates promptly doubled with 24 hours notice. Other services have attempted to operate between the UK and Portugal, all of which have been huge loss making failures.

At the moment P&O operate Portsmouth/Bilbao but this service will cease in September when they have opted not to renew the charter. One of the main reasons this service has not succeeded when it should have done is due to a complete lack of consistency with the scheduling. Success is difficult when a service has varying departure days, a 32 hours crossing from Portsmouth and extreme fluctuations variances in freight capacities.

It is little wonder that hauliers and operators become frustrated and revert to the easy option of a relatively cheap ferry between Dover and Calais and then the long slog through France with all its associated costs.

The smart haulier?

Any operator running their own fleet to and from Iberia has got to see long terms cost benefits in using longer ferry crossings. Whether this is through saving wear and tear on the vehicle, saving fuel costs and tolls, avoiding driving bans over weekends and bank holidays or being able to schedule a 24 hour break for your driver. If not for all, it must make sense for some of your traffic ?